Headlines

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry led fellow Episcopalians in a July 8 prayer service outside the T. Don Hutto Detention Center in solidarity with women who are incarcerated there, invoking the Statue of Liberty by reciting "The New Colossus," the poem inscribed on the statue. Bishop Curry came to international attention when he delivered a sermon at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May. (Photo by Jana Birchum)

The Dove Springs Rec. Center will close for 12 months of renovations. Find info on which summer programs will be moved to where at austintexas.gov/dovesprings.

Council Campaign Counter: There's another entry in the District 9 City Council race, as high school teacher Linda O'Neal filed a campaign treasurer appointment last week. O'Neal joins civil engineer Danielle Skidmore as a challenger to incumbent and Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo, who is collecting signatures to enable her to run again, as an alternative to term limits.

The capital murder trial of Meechaiel Criner began on Wednesday, following two days of jury selection. Criner, now 20, stands accused of strangling and sexually assaulting UT student Haruka Weiser in April of 2016.

Police continue searching for a suspect in the murder of 32-year-old Christian Meroney, who was found dead at the Post South Lamar Apartments on Monday afternoon. On Tuesday, APD's Homicide Unit and Crime Stoppers put up a $1,000 reward for information leading to someone's arrest. Call 512/477-3588 or anonymously at 512/472-8477.

Abolish ICE Effort: Council Member Greg Casar joined a letter signed by a nationwide coalition of more than 100 state and local representatives that calls for the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying "the experiment ... has failed." Casar was one of three Texas officials to sign the letter, including El Paso City Rep. Alexsandra Annello and Dallas Council Member Philip Kingston.

South by Southwest impact figures are out: Analysts Greyhill Advisors said that the spring conference helped produce $350.6 million for the local economy.

UT professors who sued unsuccessfully in 2016 to ban handguns in their classroom were in court this morning, arguing before the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans in an effort to revive their case.

Second Amendment Settlement: Cody Wilson and his homemade firearm factory Defense Distributed announced a settlement with the federal government on Tuesday, which will allow the plaintiffs to publish online instructions of how to print 3-D guns, and plenty more.

On the Move: President Donald Trump is in Europe this week, for a contentious meeting in Brussels with other NATO leaders, a state visit expected to be under heavy protest in England – and a golf weekend in Scotland. His promised respite will be a private (and unpredictable) Helsinki meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.